Device for facilitating circuit design



Aug. 17,, 1948. J. ALTER 2,446,993

DEVICE FOR FACILITQTING CIRCUIT DESIGN Filed Dec. 19, 1944 REGULATED A+ POWER SUPPLY VINVENTOR. JOSEPH ALTER ATTORNEY Patented Au 17, 1%48 DEVICE FOR FACILITATING CIRCUIT DESIGN Joseph Alter, Long Branch, N. J.

Application December 19, 1944, Serial No. 568,920

1 Claim. (01. 179-171) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) construction to the familiar commercial tube valves are provided in this embodiment), has in testers, but differs in the method of operation series with the various elements thereof, 2, 3, i, and final results. 5 and 5, a plurality of variable resistors, 8, 9, The invention was conceived with the object Ill and Il for regulating the amount of voltage of overcoming the tedious and time Wasting soimpressed on the aforementioned elements of called bread board method of determining cirthe electron discharge valve. cuit parameters. A variable capacitor l2 functions as a coupling The bread board procedure is Well known to condenser to an output load ll whilst the cathose versed in the art of electronic circuit depacitors l3 and I4 act as Joy-pass condensers for sign, but for the sake of pointing out the econcathode andfB voltage supply, respectively. A omy made possible by use of this invention, a plurality of switches I6 serve to indicate the varibrief outline of bread board procedure is preable resistor in use by switching on the approprisented. ate indicating lamps l5. The said switches is For example, a wooden board is used as a base are operated by rotation of the variable resistors for arranging the various components of a single 1, 8, 9, I0 and l I in a manner familiar to those stage voltage amplifier. The said components, acquainted with the art, such as resistors, condensers, sockets, electron In fact, the aforementioned switches may be discharge valves, etc., are roughly wired tostandard variable resistance controls provided gether. Proper voltages are applied to this arthey are capable of carrying the current in the rangement and the result noted. During this particular circuit where they are used. Switch process, resistance, capacitance and other values lbA is provided to permit the insertion of caare changed about until an optimum result i atpacitor l 3 into the circuit as desired. tained. The established values of the various To indicate optimum operating conditions a D QHtS are then measured and noted in the galvanometer 38 or other suitable indicating inusual manner. strument may be shunted across the output load The aforementioned procedure consumes time, H, as illustrated. and when completed the experimental stage thus Referring now to Fig. 2, the panel layout conset up is taken apart, and this process consumes tains thereon a plurality of sockets 2!, 22, 23, 24, additional time. 25, 26, 21 and 28 to accommodate any of the well The use of the invention would obviate the neknown commercial type electron discharge valves. cessity for setting up an experimental stage or 40 Afiixed to the said panel in conjunction with the stages and the subsequent dismantling of same. variable resistors and capacitors are calibrated The means for accomplishing the same experidials 29, 3t, 3!, 32, 33, 3 3, 35 and 35 indicating mental procedure in a rapid, eflicient and timethe values of said resistors and capacitors for saving manner will be described in detail herepredetermined values. inafter. Indicating lights to are placed above each The invention contains valve sockets to accalibrated dial and serve to inform the operator commodate any of the commercial type elecwhich resistance or capacitance is being used and tronic discharge valves together with circuit what part of the circuit. means for applying the required type and values Input terminals H) are provided to accommof voltage to the elements of an electronic disdate the signal voltage source 31. However, if charge valve. desired, the source of signal voltage 31 may be The aforementioned combination of socket and incorporated in the invention. Output terminals circuit means are designed to represent a single is are used to insert an artificial load I! or a stage of voltage or power amplification applicable load such as an output transformer, etc. to either radio or audio frequencies. Certain general values of resistance and ca- The invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of this invention, and

Fig. 2 depicts the panel layout of such an embodiment.

Referring to Fig. 1, an electron discharge valve I, in this example a pentode (although sockets to accommodate the various commercial type plification is being designed and. that a pentode V type electronic discharge valve is to be used.

The pentode valve is placed in socket 23 and power supply 20 is put into operation. The approximate value of plate resistance is inserted in the circuit by manipulation of the variable resistor H as indicated on the calibrated dial.

The same procedure as above is followed for the screen resistance, by manipulating variable resistor In, etc. Proper bias resistance is accomplished by use of variable resistor 9.

To properly match the input impedance of valve I it is only necessary to know the impedance of the input signal source and then adjust variable resistor 1 accordingly. The voltage on the grid element 3 may be further controlled by variable resistor 8.

All of the previous adjustments are set with respect to general values. As is well known, these values are obtainable from engineering texts, handbooks, etc. on the subject of electronic circuit design. The use of the indicating meter 38 permits the further manipulation of the various variable resistance and capacitance controls until optimum operation is arrived at as shown on the meter 38.

Thus optimum operation for each stage in an electronic circuit can be rapidly consummated 35 1,718,557

in a minimum of time. The invention is adaptable for the determination of optimum circuit parameters in practically any electronic circuit using electronic discharge valves of the evacuated or gas-filled types.

While what has been described is the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those versed in the art that various changes in arrangement and cooperation of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

.A device for determining circuit parameters, .under predetermined signal conditions, of electronic circuits comprising an electron tube, a plurality of terminals adapted to be connected to the electrodes of said tube, means for supplying operating potentials to said electrodes, a plurality of components in circuit with said means and said" electrodes, each of said components having calibrated adjusting means to vary the magnitude thereof, signal generator means for REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Hickok June 25, 1929 2,030,857 Dingley Feb. 19, 1936 2,412,231 Sharkey Dec. 10, 1946 

